College GameDay podcast makes Week 4 picks for top college football games
The college football season continues this weekend with plenty of intriguing Week 4 matchups. The ESPN College GameDay podcast recently made its picks for all of the top games this weekend.
Host Rece Davis was joined by ESPN insider Pete Thamel and sports betting analyst Stanford Steve to break down this week’s top games.
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Here is a look at who the trio is taking against the spread for the biggest matchups of Week 4:
Illinois at Nebraska (-7.5)
Stanford Steve: Illinois +7.5
Pete Thamel: Nebraska “by more than 10”
Rece Davis: Illinois +7.5
The Week 4 picks gets started with a Friday night ranked battle between No. 22 Nebraska and No. 24 Illinois. Both Rece Davis and Stanford Steve are going with the Illini to cover the 7.5-point spread but for Nebraska to win the game.
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“I love this spot for Illinois,” Steve said. “Not one person is mentioning them in this game. They do have a ranking next to their name. [Bret] Bielema has thrived in this kind of role. I’ll say Nebraska wins, but closer than the experts think, Illinois covers the number.
As for Pete Thamel, he believes the Cornhuskers win by double digits. “Illinois rolls into this game 3-0, but boy, I just think Nebraska’s defense is not going to give up a lot of points in this game. … I just think with the skill they have and the defense they have, I am going to take the children of the corn by more than 10.”
Florida (-6.5) at Mississippi State
Stanford Steve: Mississippi State +6
Pete Thamel: Florida -6
Rece Davis: Florida -6
Pete Thamel and Rece Davis are taking Florida to cover the 6 points, while Stanford Steve has the Bulldogs +6 in what Davis deemed to be the “Dan Mullen Bowl.” Thamel and Davis feel like Florida hasn’t quit on Billy Napier and they expect the Gators to win by a touchdown or more. “The Napier thing is inevitable. … This could extend it and give them some hope and life and give him a chance to get that program with some traction. So I think Florida wins and covers,” Thamel said.
Steve is picking Mississippi State to cover the points because he likes the weapons the Bulldogs have on offense and because Florida cost him a pick on ESPN College GameDay last week. “I am done with the Gators,” Steve said. … “I’ll say Florida wins but I’ll take Mississippi State plus the points.”
USC -4.5 at Michigan
Pete Thamel: USC -5
Stanford Steve: Michigan +5
Rece Davis: Michigan +5
Michigan is making a quarterback change and going with Alex Orji to start in Week 4 after Davis Warren struggled early on in the season. Stanford Steve and Rece Davis expect that move to help and for the Wolverines to run the ball well enough to cover the 4.5 points against USC. “I cannot wait for this game, because USC, you want a welcome to the Big Ten moment? You’re getting it,” Steve said. “You better buckle up. You better bring it for 60. … There’s going to be every kind of run play [known] to mankind by the Wolverines.”
As for Thamel, he thinks the Michigan defense will play well and keep the Wolverines in the game for a while, but he’s not a believer in the Michigan offense.
“I think this game is a bit of a slog. I don’t think USC’s going to be able to spin it up and down the field like they did against LSU. I think Michigan has a better defense than LSU. But I just don’t have the faith in Michigan’s offense to score with them, even though I don’t think USC scores over 30,” he said.
Utah (-1.5) at Oklahoma State
Pete Thamel: Utah -1.5
Stanford Steve: Oklahoma State +1.5
Rece Davis: Oklahoma State +1.5
Stanford Steve and Rece Davis are going with Oklahoma State to pull off what would be a slight upset. Steve and Davis both like Mike Gundy’s club to find a way to win a close game at home.
As for Thamel, he is going with Utah to get the win on the road. Thamel reports that Cam Rising is definitely going to play, and he feels that the Utes find a way to take care of business. “I am going to go with the Utes. I think this is a slog, and I just trust Utah in a slog.”
This game has two of the oldest quarterbacks in college football in Utah’s Cam Rising, who is 25, and Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman, who is 24.
Miami (-16.5) at South Florida
Pete Thamel: South Florida +16.5
Stanford Steve: South Florida +16.5
Rece Davis: South Florida +16.5
All three College GameDay podcast analysts have Miami winning the Week 4 game but South Florida covering the points. Cam Ward and the Hurricanes are expected to be too much to overcome for the Bulls to get a win. But the crowd and USF offense could give Miami some issues, according to the experts.
“I think this will be a high-octane, high-scoring game. … I think Miami wins the game, and I think it looks like a blowout out of the gate. South Florida gets it back close and actually threatens,” Rece Davis said. “And they just don’t quite have enough to do it. I’m going to say Miami wins the game relatively comfortably, a comfortable 14-point win. Which some will view as not quite enough.”
Stanford Steve has Miami winning by 13, while Thamel expects USF to “hang around” but come up short.
Tennessee (-6.5) at Oklahoma
Pete Thamel: Tennessee -6.5
Stanford Steve: Oklahoma +6.5
Rece Davis: Tennessee -6.5
Stanford Steve expects Oklahoma to keep it close and believes the Sooners getting a touchdown at home is too many points. “I think Tennessee pulls it out, but a touchdown is too much. This is the first time Oklahoma has been a touchdown underdog since I was a sophomore in college – 1998. So I think it’s a close game,” Steve said.
As for Thamel and Davis, they both believe Tennessee has too much talent and should cruise to a victory. “I’m not saying Tennessee’s going to win 51-7,” Thamel said. “But I think they’re going to go and I think they’re going to win and I think they’re going to win authoritatively. So I like them and the cover.”
UL-Monroe at Texas (-44.5)
Pete Thamel: UL-Monroe +44.5
Stanford Steve: UL-Monroe +44.5
Rece Davis: Texas -44.5
This isn’t exactly a marquee game for Week 4, but the ESPN College GameDay podcast still made picks for it against the spread. Pete Thamel and Stanford Steve both have Louisiana Monroe covering the big number. “I can’t see ULM keeping this game close, and I think all eyes on Arch. … I think we see Arch take a step forward. I’m going to take General Booty and the points, though. He must hate Texas from his time at Oklahoma, so let’s see Booty’s last stand here.”
Rece Davis is going in a different direction. “I’m going to say Texas wins and covers. … I think Sark’s going to showcase [Arch Manning] Saturday night, and I think he’s going to put up big numbers. Monroe is improved, but I think they’re going to be on the unfortunate business end of making sure that there’s a development that comes in the process of Arch Manning.”
The picks for Week 4 of the college football season are in. It will be interesting to see how Stanford Steve, Pete Thamel and Rece Davis do with their picks for this weekend.